The present invention relates to handle bags (known also as T-shirt bags) made of thin high strength plastic film. A handle bag of the type referred to comprises an upper end defining the bag mouth, a lower end defining the bag bottom, two opposite vertical folded side portions each presenting four superposed layers of film, an intermediate portion, between the said folded portions, presenting two layers of superposed film, and two handles formed in the folded side portions at their upper ends. The handle bags are supplied (for example) at store checkout counters, from suitable dispensing apparatuses which may also comprise opening means for opening the bag and holding it in a vertical position for receiving the goods which are dropped inside same. Usually, a supply of handle bags is stored, inside the dispensing and opening apparatuses, in the form of a continuous ribbon of pre-formed bags, connected in end-to-end relationship at regions which have been weakened, for example by means of perforations, so that they can be separated from each other by a simple tear-off action.